Looking into getting back into a big tank. Used to have a 180. I've always had tank/stand/sump all in one spot. With my new house I'm wondering if this setup would work of having the display on one side of a finished basement wall, and having the plumbing go through that wall into the other side that's unfinished basement and having my sump and all my stuff on that side? If so, anything special that I would need to consider? Is gravity good enough to get the water from the display thru the wall to the sump? The sump would be on the floor on concrete. How strong of a return pump would I need to get it from the sump, thru the wall and back into the tank? Looking to get at least a 180, preferably 210 gallon tank. Not sure of sump size, recommendations? Always before I had to limit sump size to tank stand inner dimensions.
Display/sump on other side of wall question
- Thread starter jwheeler
- Start date
reefer1970
New member
A lot of people do that.
Return pump size would depend on many other factors but simply putting a sump behind the wall shouldn't require any significant amount of flow
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Return pump size would depend on many other factors but simply putting a sump behind the wall shouldn't require any significant amount of flow
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Vinny Kreyling
Premium Member
JW, I have worked on a few basement floor sumps --NOT FUN.
Put everything on a sturdy bench.
You will save so many things, including your knees & patience because things always take twice as long as we figured.
Size wise for the sump they usually run about 1/2 full so in a 180 it would have about 90 gallons running with plenty of room for shut downs. As they say-- bigger is better.
A bench will also mean minimum head for the return pump increasing possibilities for a DC pump.
Put everything on a sturdy bench.
You will save so many things, including your knees & patience because things always take twice as long as we figured.
Size wise for the sump they usually run about 1/2 full so in a 180 it would have about 90 gallons running with plenty of room for shut downs. As they say-- bigger is better.
A bench will also mean minimum head for the return pump increasing possibilities for a DC pump.
billdogg
Well-known member
For many years I had a 150DT on the finished side of the basement with 120g refugium and 50g sump on the other, The sump was on a platform that kept it off the floor and the fuge was above it. I used a DART to return water to both the refugium and DT. IMHO, it was a great set up. The sump sat about 2/3 out from the fuge
Vinny Kreyling
Premium Member
As long as the sump level is lower than the tank water level it will drain.
ThRoewer
New member
One of the biggest benefits of having the sump in a neighboring room is that you can have it at a comfortable height where you don't have to be on your knees to work on it.
Another benefit is that you could have all pumps, including flow pumps, outside the display and just let an oversized return pump provide all the flow.
This is actually the setup for most "smaller" tanks in public aquaria.
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Another benefit is that you could have all pumps, including flow pumps, outside the display and just let an oversized return pump provide all the flow.
This is actually the setup for most "smaller" tanks in public aquaria.
Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the help. I didn’t even think of having a separate sump and refugium. You have any pics of how you have/had that setup?
What about humidity/evaporation? That will all happen on the unfinished side correct? Anything special I should do for all that water in the air besides a standard dehumidifier?
What about humidity/evaporation? That will all happen on the unfinished side correct? Anything special I should do for all that water in the air besides a standard dehumidifier?
billdogg
Well-known member
Sadly, I never took any pictures of that setup. When I first set it up I didn't have the refugium. It wasn't until I got tired of the HUGE algae issue fueled by the Eel's waste that I decided to add the 120g refugium. It had a 6"+ DSB and a bunch of LR on a stand above the sand. Within 3 months of putting it online the Nitrates went from untestable high even with weekly 100g water changes to barely detectable low with 4-6 weeks between water changes.
Evaporation will happen wherever there is water, although in my case, the DT was completely enclosed with a canopy. Anything less and the 4' moray would get out. I keep a dehumidifier in the fish room up on a stand next to the utility sink so that it drains straight into it. When I took down the 150, I sold off all three tanks but set up a 60g FT in the fishroom that uses a 100g rubbermaid stock tank as sump. The room also has my mixing station and a 20l QT, so humidity is always a concern.
Evaporation will happen wherever there is water, although in my case, the DT was completely enclosed with a canopy. Anything less and the 4' moray would get out. I keep a dehumidifier in the fish room up on a stand next to the utility sink so that it drains straight into it. When I took down the 150, I sold off all three tanks but set up a 60g FT in the fishroom that uses a 100g rubbermaid stock tank as sump. The room also has my mixing station and a 20l QT, so humidity is always a concern.
Luckily I own a lawn fertilizing business and I have customers that are electricians, plumbers, and heating/air guys. So I plan to have all of them help me if a big project comes. I’ve read here before of guys having vents that suck air out of the room and to the outside I believe. I’m plan on doing a ton of research
Kevin Guthrie
Member
I have had this setup and can't say enough about how much easier it is when you have all kinds of room for the sump instead of cramming everything into a cabinet. You can buy equipment that wouldn't otherwise fit, and you get rid of a lot of the noise.
I use a 150 gallon Rubbermade stock tank. Algae scrubber, heaters, skimmer, CO2 reactor, kalk reactor, and gfo are all in the sump with room to spare.
Unless you have an overheating problem, don't put the sump on the cold basement floor. Mine is on a thick sheet of pink foam. Putting it on a bench makes sense, but I take advantage of the drop to the sump for a waterfall algae scrubber.
Aerosolized salt spray gets on the copper plumbing and makes them green. Venting would help.
I use a 150 gallon Rubbermade stock tank. Algae scrubber, heaters, skimmer, CO2 reactor, kalk reactor, and gfo are all in the sump with room to spare.
Unless you have an overheating problem, don't put the sump on the cold basement floor. Mine is on a thick sheet of pink foam. Putting it on a bench makes sense, but I take advantage of the drop to the sump for a waterfall algae scrubber.
Aerosolized salt spray gets on the copper plumbing and makes them green. Venting would help.
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